


Opposite Directions

by Aeacus, BWaves



Series: Joy and Owen [9]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Cute, Diners, Gen, Road Trips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-09-17 09:27:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16972014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aeacus/pseuds/Aeacus, https://archiveofourown.org/users/BWaves/pseuds/BWaves
Summary: Julie and Sammy stop for food, potty break, and a Wyoming license plate.





	Opposite Directions

“Oh, oh! Wyoming! I don't have that one! Pull over!”

“Christ, we don't need to stop for you to see the plate.”

“No but you need to pull over because I need to pee.”

“Oh.” She comes to a stop at the light and lets a lumbering red truck go by before she turns into the gas station diner. “I suppose we could get food too.”

“Thought you’d see it like that,” her passenger grins brightly. Julie feels her heart skip a beat at the sight. She quickly looks back to find parking. She pulls the rugged old pick up truck in next to a cute little hatchback. They both climb out with Sammy stretching like they haven't stopped in days even though it's only been a couple hours since the last tourist landmark. Julie waits until she stops stretching before wrapping an arm around her waist and kissing her cheek. “C’mon, stop giving all the truckers a show.” Sammy laughs at her and kisses her back before they both head inside.

The bell rings softly overhead, getting the attention of one of the waitresses who points to one of the tables. Julie nods and they head in that direction only separating as Sammy peels off to the bathroom. Julie finds the menu already on the table and starts looking through it. The waitress comes around and she orders drinks for both of them. She figures out what she wants to have before looking at the rest of the patrons in this little quaint place. 

There's a family with a couple loud kids, not rowdy but just kid loud. There's a trucker enjoying the messiest sandwich she's ever seen. There are two young men sitting across from each other deep in conversation. There's two other solitary drivers that look like they are eating just to keep going until the next meal. What a dreary life. She hopes never to be like that, living just to make it to the next day. She wants to live for something. That's why she became something but she's heard horror stories of engineers that lose that spark and just do that job. She tried to have something lined up post graduation that wouldn't be that but CPG companies pay well. But that's why she has Sammy in her life right? Her personal sunbeam. She'll take any cubicle drudgery if it means she can support Sammy and her dreams of helping people.

And speaking of her personal sunbeam, “You were thinking of me weren't you?” she singsongs as she slides into the booth across from Julie.

“No I wasn't.”

“You were smiling like you do when you think of me.”

“You're a psychologist not a psychic. You can't tell what I was thinking of. I was smiling at the two boys over there. I think they are cute.”

“Who?” Sammy turns in her seat, having to turn extra to compensate for her blind eye. “Oh, those guys?”

“Yeah. They're cute. But taken.”

“Can you see rings or something? I can't see any rings and there weren't any girls in the bathroom with me.”

“Taken by each other. Sit down proper before they look over here!” Julie laughs as she reaches across the table to tug on a blue section of hair to make Sammy sit back down.

“Oh! They are like us! Shit we should sit with them!”

“They are talking about something important. Let's leave them be. Pick out what you want to eat before the waitress comes back over.” Sammy nods and starts looking at the menu. Julie looks over at the men and sees them holding hands across the table. She hopes they do actually get to talk before they head out onto the road, never to be seen again. 

The waitress drops off their drinks and gets their order for food. The other table gets their food moments later. It's going to be close. 

“We can just go interrupt them. If they are really that cute.”

“They really are cute but no, I don't even know what I would say to them. ‘Solidarity’ or something? 'If you need something on the road call us? Even though we could be thousands of miles in the opposite direction.’ We don't even know what their story is.”

“I bet... They are college dropouts. They didn't have to run or anything, they just wanted to get away. Met each other and got swept away in the thrill of the road. I bet they fell in love on the road unlike us.”

“Yeah. We fell in love at the quad under what little stars can be seen in Atlanta.”

“Still romantic as fuck. But their story is different. I think it took them a while. Neither of them wanted to fall in love. They were fuck buddies first.”

“Crude.” Sammy just shrugs as their food comes out. Julie recognizes the sandwich Sammy ordered as the same messy one that the trucker was eating. “Oh my God, you're going to need a bath after that.”

“Probably.” She grins as she picks up the monstrosity.

Julie laughs and smiles at her love as she eats her own meal with a little more couth. She forgets about the guys at the other table until she sees the waitress drop off their check. Glancing at the food at their own table, they won't finish before the guys leave. She's a little disappointed she didn't think about paying for their check or something else nice like that before it was too late. Sammy distracts her from coming up with a plan B by asking about their next hotel stop in between messy bites. 

By the end of their meal they have everything hashed out on Julie's phone. Sammy has to skip off to the bathroom again to wash up. Julie takes the opportunity to pay the check. She hears a car attempting to turn over and glances out the window. The guys are in the hatch back and both are frowning at the sound their car is making. Sounds like a dead battery. Julie leaves cash on the table before rushing out. Sammy will catch up.

“I told you to not leave that plugged in while we ate!” she catches the driver saying as they get back out of the car.

“I'm sorry, I forgot. I had to pee so badly,” the other defends. 

“Hey, sounds like a dead battery,” Julie cuts in. They look up at her in surprise.

“Uh, yeah. Joy left his phone plugged in and it drained it.”

“It's not supposed to do that,” she offers before Joy can try to defend himself again. “I know a trick. Pop the hood and I'll show you. I can also give you a jump.”

“Thanks. We'll have to ask the truck to move I guess.” The driver gestures as the other side of his car is just sidewalk and building.

“Nah, that's mine.” She grins as she jingles her keys on the way to unlock the cab. She pops the hood the same time the driver hits his. She grabs the cables from behind the seat and brings them around. “I'm Julie.”

“You're a lifesaver. Especially if you can really fix the draining issue. I'm Owen and this is Joy.”

“Nice to meet you.” She shakes Owen’s hand before leaning over his engine looking for the battery. “Okay, if you look here, see this switch, all you gotta do is make sure it's in off and it'll disconnect the battery without a key in the ignition. Not all cars have it but you're lucky.” She presses the switch. “Now anything charging won't pull on the battery while the car is off.”

There's a wolf whistle behind them and Julie is about ready to knock someone out as she straightens back up before she hears a familiar giggle. 

“Sammy!”

“Sorry, couldn't help myself,” she continues to giggle.

“Owen, Joy, this is my better half, Sammy,” Julie introduces. There's a beat of silence then Julie can see the understanding on the guys faces. 

“Hi there! I'm glad you didn't get to leave so fast. Julie wanted to say hi to you because you were so cute.”

“Sammy!”

Joy giggles at her which just makes Sammy beam and bounce closer to him. Julie rolls her eyes and works on getting the cables attached with Owen's help. She doesn't miss the soft blush on Owen's cheeks. 

“So which direction are you guys going? East or west?” she asks him.

“We're going east. You?”

“West. Dang. It would have been fun to have some company on the road. Sammy and I are on a post graduation trip.”

“Oh? Congratulations. We're... We're just traveling.”

“That sounds like fun. Favorite place so far?”

“Devil's Tower. It was pretty awesome.”

“I'll make sure we hit it. Alright, let's give her some juice!” Julie climbs into her truck, leaving the door open. Owen gets in his own car. Joy and Sammy help coordinate over the sounds of the engine until the little hatch back is also purring nicely. Owen leaves it running before helping Julie disconnect the cars and stow the cables. 

“Julie! I was right!”

“And that's why you are the psychologist, sweetheart. We gotta get back on the road if we want to hit the hotel before it's too late. They're going the other way.”

“Aw, that's no fun! Joy, do you have snapchat? I don't want to lose touch!”

“Yeah I do.” The two share contacts as the drivers wait for their respective copilots. Once they are done Sammy grabs Joy for a quick hug then manages to hug Owen as well. Owen looks at Julie over her shoulder but Julie just shrugs and laughs at him.

“I hope we cross paths with you guys again. Let us know if you hit Atlanta, our home town.”

“Yeah, sure.” Sammy finally lets them go and heads to the truck. Everyone climbs into their respective cars. Julie lets the guys pull out first before following them to the highway.  
But just as Owen says, they head east while Julie passes that on ramp for the west one.

“You were right, they were cute.”

“Of course I was right.”

“Oh shut up.” Sammy makes a face at her phone and sends a snap to Joy. “Think we'll actually see them again?”

“Why not? It's a small world. Even if we are headed in opposite directions.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked this and you'd like to see more, go check out joyandowen.tumblr.com where you can see more involving these characters, and asks and requests are currently open!
> 
> The blog gets updates earlier than this does!


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